Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-10
BIG GUNS FOR THE NAVY.
Three MilltOn DoIIars Asked for the
Next Fiscal Year.

DA0 ~CNS tOR THE NAVY
Three Milton D0Ilars Asked for the
Next Fiscal Year.
FONTS FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMODORE
sIcARD-AkMAMENr OF THE NEW cRuIsERs-THE
NEW GUN FACTORY AT THE WASHINGTON NAVY
YAED-rHE PROPOSED PROVING GROUND, ETC.
Commodore sicard, chief of the Ordnance Bureau
OF the Navy Department. transmits the following
estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885,
For fuel, tools material, &C, the general arma-
ment OF the Navy with modd secondary batter
les and small arms, and for modern guns and
ammunition for instructlng cadets at the Naval
Academy and apprentices, sasS, $50; general re-
pairs to ordnance buildings $15,OOO; freight and
miscellaneous expenses 5000; civil establish
ment at navy yards $24, ,525; expenses OF the tor
pedo station, $50, 800; toward the armament Of
vessels authorized, s., 900 oooototaL s., I2a,275
CANNON FOR THE NKw CRUISERS.
The cannon originally commenced for the
Chicago, Boston, Atlanta ana Dolphin, will all be
completed In a few months The 6-inch forgings,
under the Midvale contracts for the armament Of
ships since authorized are beginning to come In,
and win be taken In hand at once in the finishing
shops OF the Washington navy-yard. the Betnle-
by w. nas % sss and It Is tboaRhs that
then the supply OF forginEs OF both large ana
small caliber will be ample The and 8
sustained the statutory test IN the most success
ful manner. The guns or the Atlanta and Boston
have been besides fired number OF times, and no
defects have been developed. One 1O-lnch gun
has been completed, and another is nearly nm
tshed. A third was commenced at the Washing
ton yard, and wiz be pushed TO completion as fast
PRoJEcr1LRs FOR THE NEW GUNS.
The manufacture OF cast-iron projectiles for the
new guns stin goes on at the Washington yard,
but efforts TO secure cast-steel projectles OF the
proper quality have met with little or no success.
Nearly all fal on the water test, being more or
less porous. One or Two firms are SIN trying 70
turn out sound Shells and 1t Is hoped they WA
succeed, as the chief OF ordnance Is OF the opinion
that the country must depend for war upon sIeei
Tue and inch carriages OF the Atlanta have
worked In q satisfactory manner, but the bronze
deck circles were not sufficiently strong and not
to sustain the shock reco1, and they will De re-
placed by steel circles now being prepared.
SMALL ARMS.
The chief states that 1t is apparent that a re-
duction In the caltber OF small arms Is impending
and that II Is not the policy OF the Bureau 10 puT-
chase any greater number OF mlakets OF 45 cal.ber
than are necessary for current use. lie aiiuoes 70
the impoSsDlty OF advancing the
ARMAMENT OF THE CHICAGO AND BOSTON
as fast as desirable, owing TO lack OF funds, and
urgently advocates the appropriation OF money for
the completion Of the armament OF those vessels.
5-incn guns OF the Chicago The 6lnch guns OF
the Chicago are nearly completed, but The S-lneh
guns Will not be finished lor some montns ne
states that the Charleston, Baltimore, Miantono-
mon the four gun BOATS, the dynainl cruiser, the
torpedo boat Newark, and cruiser Nos. and are
50 lar advanced thai by the fiscal year ending
June 80, lss9, three-IourthS OF the appropriation
their armament will be required.
THE WASHINGTON YARD AND THE TORPEDO STATION
The instruction Of enlisted men at the Washing
ton navy-yard and at the torpedo station has been
successfully pursued. The present factory at the
torpedo station Is not adapted 10 the sale manu-
facJure OF large Quantities or gun cotton, anu
Larger factory should be erected at some poiht on
the Atlantic cost and one Oh the Pacillc COAST.
The number OF officers at the torpeuo sIdtlOn Is
1nadequate to the important work required, ana IL
is desirable that at least three more De iufhiseo
at once.
THE NEW GUN FACTORY AT WASHINGTON.
intimately connected with the question OF arma-
menaref the new shspsis thai OF the construction
OF The new gun factory In ,he navy-yard, WASH
ington., Several plans were entertained and care
fully discussed for tue arrangement OF tue build-
lngs OF the factory, and the department hhahy
decided to utilize the large building tnat nad ior-
merly been forge and anchor shop, and 10 equip
IL for the manufacture OF 6-inch anu Slnch guns,
wnile Immediately adjoining Its north END new
and large building snouid be erected Ior nnishing
guns OF the largest size. The floor OF the forge
and anchor shop was TO De lowered, tne ROOF
raised 9 feet, and 40-tOn travelling crane intro
duced, running the wnOie length OF the shop.
In the large building llO-ton travelling Crane
was TO be Introduced, and shrinking pit for all
classes guns Was to be located at Lne south end
large shop Immediately adjoining, TO the West,
was to be lifted up as a carnage and pro1ecule
snOp and to be equipped with 2o-tOn travelling
Crane. The other buildings on the west siae oi
tne yard were 10 be uu,iLed, some as foundry ana
finishing shops for small parts, ana others ao Car
penter, pattern shops, &C. In these shops IL was
proposed 10 install tne machine Tools Iuese plans
are now being carried out When the factory Is
completed II Is estimated that 1t will be able 10
turn Out each year the following guns tordInary
working time): Six-inch, 70; s-lnch, A; 1O-inch.
was begun IN May, 1887, and the clear-
ing out OF the forge and anchor shop
and digging out the Old foundations
and pipe Connections under the floor was round TO
be an exceedingly labOrlOus task. THIS has, how
ever, been competed. The foundations for the 40
ton crane supports have been mostly laid, ana the
work In that building will not hereafter Orfer so
much diniculty. The excavation FOR the Iounda-
tons OF The large gun Snop rs three-fourtnS COM
pleted, and the material iOr its construction has
been advertised lOr and some OF IL delivered. Tne
chine TOOLS Will be speedily. The work OF con-
sJructiOn WILL be pushed forward AS rapidly as
Practicable.
NEW PROVING GROUND.
At the last session OF Congress the sum OF
$40, 600 was appropriated for the purchase of
new site for proving ground and for the erection
thereon OF certain buildings. The Bureau has
been endeavoring to ind suitable place Tor the
Most OF the region conveniently accessible from
Washington (and the proving ground should not.
II practicable, be removed very lar rom that
place. Is TOO thckty populated, and tue land Is
are used for nsh1ng and Oystering 10 such an ex-
tent as 10 seriously Interfere with such work as Is
done at proving and ranging ground; stlil, II Is
thought . suitable site can be found, and the